Tesla Model S 60 now on sale: A much cheaper entry-level model

Tesla unveils new entry-level Model S 60, available in August.

On Thursday, Tesla filled the gap in its range with a new entry-level Model S 60. The car starts at £53,400, including the £4,500 UK government subsidy for EVs—about £20,000 less than the next model up, which is now the Model S 90D.

Tesla previously discontinued the Model S 70 due to lack of demand, but this new model is several thousand pounds cheaper. Once petrol savings factor in, the company says the effective cost of owning Model S 60 is about £45K (or much less if you live in London's congestion charging area).

The Model S 60 gets a 60kWh battery, good for 0-60mph (0-96km/h) in 5.5 seconds and 200 miles of range between charges. It comes with the full suite of driver assists, and if you decide at some point you want more juice, a software upgrade will unlock the battery to 75kWh.

Tesla's approach to selling electric vehicles has been fascinating. Launching straight into the upper end of the market with the Model S was clever, and it laid the groundwork for the Model 3 mass-market follow-up. With the top and bottom ends covered (reminiscent of Shaka Zulu's "Buffalo Horns" strategy perhaps?), Tesla has moved in for the kill at the middle. This new Model S fits nicely between the £28,000 Model 3 and £74,900 Model S 90D, and the price is aimed squarely at buyers of mid-level luxury cars like the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes E-Class.

The Tesla website says the new Model S 60 will be delivered to buyers in the UK in "late August."